Jake's Mythology

*Perspective of Father Roc* I can still remember the day that I met my wife. We were so young, but I knew instantly when I saw her. She was the bird for me. We would sneak off at night, away from our parents, to fly together. Swirling, rising, falling, spiraling - together. It was like nothing I had ever known. We grew to be so close that eventually we decided to get married. Unfortunately, our families did not quite agree. Sure, you may be thinking that this sounds too much like Romeo and Juliet to be true. But some themes of Romeo and Juliet may have been taken from this story, instead. As I was saying, our families did not approve of the wedding. So, we did the only thing that we could do. We flew away. We didn't know where we would go, let alone how we would get there or how we would sustain ourselves once we got there. We just needed to leave. My wife and I flew into the night, with nothing but each other. We were in for quite a journey. After many days and nigh...

Sindbad: Fifth Voyage A common theme is emerging in these stories. After a disastrous turn of events out at sea, Sindbad always fortunately floats from the wreckage to an island. Awfully fortunate to happen again and again. The beginning of this story lends some opportunity to creativity. Sindbad and a group of sailors come to an apparently uninhabited island, but they end up finding the egg of a roc. They smash the eggshell and kill the bird, inciting the wrath of the parents. Almost immediately, the parent birds return to smash the ship. One of my favorite storytelling methods is to reframe the perspective with which the story is told, because of the opportunities for varying details and themes. I think it would be a creative turn to tell this story from the perspective of the family of birds, or even just from the parent birds. They are continuing on about their normal lives, when all of a sudden, a terrible group of humans appears on their island and kills their child! Addit...

Sindbad: First Voyage There are certainly some interesting twists to this story so far. I will say, upon reading this specific story, although it has been likened to the Odyssey, it does not quite possess the same features of entertainment. I'm hoping this will change throughout the narrative. At the beginning, I almost noticed some prodigal son-esque features - a young man who squanders all of his wealth. However, the predominant feature of the narrative thus far is that the crew of a ship mistakenly takes a large whale for an island. In the chaos of the whale going back under water, Sindbad becomes separated from the crew and lands upon some cliffs, meeting inhabitants soon thereafter. A funny twist would be to tell the story from the whale's perspective. Also, had Sindbad not met the inhabitants when he did, his story would be very different! Sindbad: First Voyage (continued) The story takes a surprising twist in this episode. The Sindbad's original captain retu...

This week, I continued to grow my foundation for my Peter Pan semester project! Strangely, the original story offers more and more proof for the chaos that Peter brings to Neverland. While he is gone, the island is described as being peaceful and lazy, since there is no fighting going on. I can add this in a description for one of my stories. Another twist that I can utilize is by explaining the condition of the Lost Boys. These are young boys that still have imaginations and have somehow made it to Neverland. Essentially, they are Peter's gang. However, the Lost Boys can "die in battle," or sometimes, Peter even "thinks them out" of Neverland. But what does this mean? I think I can provide two possible answers, either of which could be used in my story. One, these boys leave Neverland because they have lost the imagination that brought them there in the first place. The second option is that Peter sends them away once he no longer has any use to him. Per...

There once lived a young boy. His name was Aladdin. He loved nothing more than to play in the streets with his friends. Unfortunately, he loved playing a little too much. What started as several hours a day as a child soon turned into his entire existence. This became a problem as he grew older, as it prevented him from taking up a trade. This so grieved his father that finally, his father suddenly became ill and died. However, this did not stop the young boy's habits. He was oblivious to the world. One day, he and his friends took their playing from the streets into his house. After searching for new adventures, they eventually made their way into the attic. And it was here that everything changed. While Aladdin was playing hide-and-seek with his friends, he stumbled upon an old box of his father's belongings. In the center of this box sat a perfectly-jeweled ring. He could hear echoes of his father's voice from his childhood. ... "Aladdin." He woul...

Story 1: Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp 1 I like in this story how the magician's evil plan backfires. He first deceives Aladdin into thinking that he is his uncle. Poor Aladdin! He blindly follows this man, hoping to eventually find a trade. The magician thinks that he can trick Aladdin into fetching this magic lamp, but has forgotten the obstinance of the young boy. By the end of this story, Aladdin is trapped into a dark cave, with nothing but the lamp and the ring! However, as he rubs the ring, a genie appears. One of the elements of this story that I could use is, as specific as it sounds, the idea of somebody pretending to be a relative in order to get something that they want. Oddly, this reminds me of the movie Wedding Crashers! Story 2: Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp 2 Here is another crazy sequence of magical events. I love that Aladdin and his mother now have access to two genies. They can ask for whatever they want! And indeed, they manage to live off these ma...

Story 1: Scheherazade This tale provides the introduction to the Arabian Nights sequence. In it, a brave young girl named Scheherazade has taken it upon herself to stop a terrible evil committed by the sultan. He was deceived by his own wife, and as a result of his anger, he has promised to sentence all of his future wives to death. He marries a new one each day and has her killed the next morning. However, Scheherazade has a plan to stop this, though this plan is not yet clear. At this point, she has begun a story just in time before her death. I could use several themes from this for my own storytelling. I like the idea of a brave character choosing a circumstance of near certain death, but with a plan of action for how to adjust his or her fate. I assume that Scheherazade has something in mind to avert the sultan's usual action. Perhaps this story would also look different if the roles were switched, and someone made a deal to assassinate the sultan. Story 2: The Merchant...

This week's reading notes cover chapters 3 and 4 of Peter Pan, which is continuing to form the basis of my semester project. In chapter 3, Peter has officially arrived on the scene. He has come to retrieve his shadow, which Wendy ends up needing to sew onto him. He interacts with Wendy, meets her brothers, and ends up showing them how to fly! They end up flying to Neverland, just before the Darlings can return home to find out what has happened. Chapter 4 recounts their journey on the way to Neverland, which lasts over the course of several days and nights. The kids, meaning Wendy and her brothers, learn about the magic of Neverland as well as its infamous villains - Captain Hook and his crew of pirates. The chapter ends as the pirates fire at the group, splitting them up. There are several valuable components from these chapters for my story. We see several interesting displays of Peter's character. He is shown to be insensitive to Wendy when they first meet, and eve...

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Once upon a time, I was simply another normal man. Yes, I was larger than most - a giant, if you will. While sailing the seas with my men, I was separated from the clan. It was an occurrence almost unto death, quite shrill. When I woke the next morning, the raging storm had passed. I was alone on the beach of an island, somehow. To be true, I did not know how long I would last. As I contemplated, I fervently furrowed by brow. But in looking around, I noticed what I could. There were animals, and trees, and beauty everywhere. I gathered myself, and slowly stood. There was something of opportunity in the air. So I worked and I worked, Hunted, farmed, shepherded, and gathered. Around the island, I carefully lurked, Trying to do my best for what truly mattered. Then, one day, a great surprise arrived. I had begun to think that I'd be alone forever. When I left my cave for the day, I was satisfied. But I would return to meet my match - a man of clever. For wh...

Story 1: The Ghosts of Famous Women To be completely honest, this story seemed little more than simply a string of long names from Greek mythology, including family lines and relations to various gods and goddesses. However, I like the overall idea - that Odysseus has come into contact with this red carpet-esque group of people. Surely this added excitement and awe for the people that read the story, having knowledge of the characters. With regards to a potential story from this plot, I could see the expansion of the Oedipus scene as a crazy narrative. As briefly described in this story, Oedipus is a character that kills his father and weds his mother, the plot from which we derive the term "Oedipus complex." It would be interesting to invent a ridiculous situation in order to explain a modern phrase! Story 2: The Spirit of Achilles This story presents a theme not uncommon throughout history: the desire of a father for the success of his son. I think this has strong ...

For this week's readings, I chose to do a continuous sequence from Homer's Odyssey. This series of tales involves interaction with the cyclops! Reading 1: The Land of the Cyclopes This story serves as an introduction, clearly meaning to be continued by subsequent stories. I enjoy the romantic language and the idealistic pictures it presents. This story contains adventure and the excitement of exploring the unknown. Something valuable from this tale that could be used in my own story is the expanded introduction. Some stories instantly start with relevant action, or at least quickly develop the plot. In this case, however, the introduction is drawn out. Though the cyclops are mentioned, the two islands are described, and the explorers are introduced, the story has not yet developed. This expansion creates suspense and adds to the excitement of the narrative. Reading 2: Prisoners of the Cyclops The plot exponentially picks up from the previous story. The men arrive in ...

This reading forms the base resource for my semester project - a twist on the original story of Peter Pan! While reading this, I have discovered something incredible - I have never actually read the story of Peter Pan! I have seen several movie renditions and am familiar with similar stories, but have never personally read the original story. The story so far can even be slightly difficult to follow, if only because of the imagination required. I find myself expecting a nonfiction story, only to be surprised by little variations, such as the author's personification of the Darling's dog, Nana. I have enjoyed the creative structure thus far, employing powerful imagery to describe "Neverland," this delightful place of children's imaginations. At some point, Peter visits the Darling family, but upon escaping, leaves behind his shadow. Since my narrative will focus on Hook, or at least portray him as the protagonist, I may be able to use this introductory seque...

Review of  Presence, Not Praise: How To Cultivate a Healthy Relationship with Achievement This article interestingly explores the importance of presence as opposed to praise in the course of achieving. In fact, it conveys the idea that praise, especially praised centered around fixed accomplishments, lacks substance. On the other hand, praise that notices the process leads to less anxiety and greater productivity. Though this praise can be important, the author then further explores the idea that perhaps mere presence, instead of empty validation, can teach students to become more attentive. And isn't this a more valuable product than receiving praise? Review of  Be a Mirror: Give Readers Feedback That Fosters a Growth Mindset This article provides practical advice for offering feedback. Not only is most feedback vague and difficult to apply, it also incorporates an emphasis on lacking abilities, as well as the existence of personal feelings about the work in question...

Though I had some interesting options last week for my semester project, I have decided to pursue a version of the Peter Pan story! This fits within the larger category of pirate tales. Not only is this a classic, fun story - it also lends itself to several creative interpretations. Here are several of my ideas, though I already have a feeling of where I want to go with this project. For those that may not know, the story of Peter Pan involves the exciting story of a young girl named Wendy. She quickly finds herself whisked up on an adventure with a magical boy by the name of Peter Pan. He takes her to his home, an island called Neverland. Here, he leads a band of his friends, called "the lost boys," in battling against an evil pirate named Captain Hook. The story of Peter Pan involves incorporating Wendy into their adventures, with the ultimate defeat of Captain Hook and the return of Wendy to her original home. The retellings that I will investigate involve approaching...

There once was a time when King David ruled Jerusalem, and he had just sent all of his soldiers off to battle. One evening, David had nothing else to do and decided to pass his time on the roof of his house. Not much longer after arriving, he noticed a woman. Though she was on the roof of a nearby house, he could see that she was bathing. She was beautiful. With no other current obligations, the king immediately sent for her and brought her to his house that he may sleep with her. However, she had a husband. His name was Uriah. Not only did David know this husband, but he was also one of the king's most prestigious generals, and at the time was off at war. Not long after sleeping with Bathsheba, David heard from her. She was pregnant. He panicked, knowing that something had to be done. How could he cover up his mistake? He decided to try the most obvious option - get Uriah to sleep with his wife. David sent for Uriah from battle, and he quickly arrived back in Jerusalem...

Similar to the readings for Part A, I chose three of my favorite stories from this section to illuminate for potential storytelling! Bathsheba Here, we find the tale of a typically positively-viewed king committing serious treachery. In his desire for Bathsheba, he sends her husband off to be killed after sleeping with his wife. I think there could be several interesting manipulations of this story. First, Bathsheba could have spoken immediately with her husband, Uriah, about what had happened. The sharing of this information would change the entire story. If not, another twist could be Uriah surviving the battle and coming back home, only to discover that his wife was pregnant from another man. This would extend the original story, bringing into play any variety of possible endings! Mary and Elizabeth I am currently taking another class that discusses the character of Jesus in various world religions. A recent topic has revolved around opinions of the virgin birth of Jesus. Th...

This week, I decided to read through the unit on Bible women. Though I am familiar with many of these stories, I enjoyed reading these again. I specifically want to talk about the stories of Eve, Potiphar's wife, and Delilah! EVE This introductory story of the Bible lends itself to several plot twists and character manipulations. It would be interesting to tell the story from Eve's perspective instead of from an objective third-person point of view. I can only imagine her thoughts upon hearing the serpent telling her that God was trying to withhold from her and Adam! Another way to use this story would be to twist the nature of the serpent and of the effects of eating the fruit. What if, instead, the serpent was sent by God, and the fruit on the tree would bring life and joy to Adam and Eve? POTIPHAR'S WIFE Here we see a woman with an elevated position, especially for the time period in which the story takes place. I think the story could be used as a starting p...

This week, we are discussing the importance of feedback! Feedback is a touchy subject, but it can yield even better results in professional life, in education, and even in personal life. I read two articles that discuss feedback and how it should be handled. Article 1:  5 Tips for Taking Feedback Like a Champ The first sentence of this article makes a strong point. We often have difficulty with understanding others' experiences of our own behavior. In many cases, this type of feedback can distort the self-image that we proclaim. The article goes on to discuss several ways we should take feedback and why feedback is important. Though feedback can be uncomfortable, it often yields incredible growth. Our perspective on growth should realize that growth is a good thing, because we haven't yet reached our full potential! Also, we often take the finer points of feedback and incorrectly assign specific problems with our character as a whole. Just because you messed up on pa...

The above image fits one possible topic for my semester project: pirate stories! Other possibilities include two biblical themes, either stories about couples in the Bible or about Jesus. A fourth option is that of trickster tales! Pirate Stories I love pirate stories, particularly the Pirates of the Caribbean. They always have elements of adventure and danger, as well as some romantic theme. It's also interesting to me that though pirates often have a connotation of being involved with fairytales, they present a realistic danger in many parts of the modern world. I prefer the pirates in Peter Pan. In fact, I would like to read more stories about pirates, since I have loved others. The most probable line of story within this category would likely involve either the Pirates of the Caribbean or Peter Pan. Both possess well-known characters, and it would be fun to tell a story of my own with these characters or even rewrite a popular one! Bible Couples I must ad...